tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7821345570811107481.post1691145568684023147..comments2024-03-17T00:13:44.599-07:00Comments on Marty Nemko: Should You Be a Specialist or a Generalist?Marty Nemkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14850388752934193821noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7821345570811107481.post-55549628413424106722010-04-10T15:13:31.621-07:002010-04-10T15:13:31.621-07:00How do you choose what to go deep into? I live in...How do you choose what to go deep into? I live in Michigan, and I see people with years and years of automotive expertise desperately looking for jobs. I can say with certainty that specialization is not paying off for them. Especially when you consider the extra years of schooling often required.Anoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7821345570811107481.post-72936160203445350182010-02-09T22:18:31.352-08:002010-02-09T22:18:31.352-08:00Very bright people can succeed by going deep for a...Very bright people can succeed by going deep for a while in one thing, then going deep in something else (ideally related), then going deep in something else that's related.<br /><br />More average folks would be wise to carefully choose 1 thing to go deep in and stay there longer.Marty Nemkohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14850388752934193821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7821345570811107481.post-76143272807908291702010-02-09T15:34:56.894-08:002010-02-09T15:34:56.894-08:00Dr. Nemko,
Mark Cuban actually posted a similar...Dr. Nemko, <br /><br /><br />Mark Cuban actually posted a similar topic and (to summarize) his advice to whether a 20 something year old should focus is (this words are next) <br />----<br />"Being focused at 21 is way over rated. Now is the time to screw up, try as many different things as you can and just maybe figure things out.<br />The thing you do need to do is learn. Learn accounting. Learn finance. Learn statistics. Learn as much as you can about business. Read biographies about business people. You dont have to focus on 1 thing, but you have to create a base of knowledge so you are ready when its time.<br />------<br />I'm curious, Dr. Nemko, do you agree with this?<br />Best wishes to you.Ehttp://www.blog.beevok.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7821345570811107481.post-29604586370501988412010-02-09T10:44:36.010-08:002010-02-09T10:44:36.010-08:00Being a "jack of all trades" to me shows...Being a "jack of all trades" to me shows a lack of willingness, or maybe ability, to really develop a depth of knowledge. Being in a rotational training program early in my career at GE, I saw plenty of co-workers who were happy to skim by on each assignment, knowing that they were moving on to a new one shortly. This created a habit of shallowness, which for many has come back to haunt them later in their career.<br /><br />It's great to be agile, but you build credibility and your career by having a history of successes. Such successes are more easily achieved when you can be deep, at least for short while, in the skills required to solve challenging problems in your current role.Greg Strosakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07155386553090577612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7821345570811107481.post-50397879067248971312010-02-06T09:47:57.075-08:002010-02-06T09:47:57.075-08:00E, school absolutely causes procrastination and la...E, school absolutely causes procrastination and lack of discipline, especially among the bright. Grade inflation, caused by an attempt to be kind, and ever dumber teachers (in previous generations, the brightest women saw teaching as the highest-status position to which they could reasonably aspire) teaches students they can get away with brinksmanship and other sorts of half-hearted efforts.Marty Nemkohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14850388752934193821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7821345570811107481.post-27663950269821625452010-02-06T02:54:48.773-08:002010-02-06T02:54:48.773-08:00I personally would rather be a specialist, albeit ...I personally would rather be a specialist, albeit one who draws from other, related areas for inspiration. My role models are people like Charles Darwin, Fred Astaire, and other specialists.<br /><br />That said, self discipline is a constant struggle for me. I honestly think being in school for so long made self discipline harder than it had to be, because I knew I'd get an A whether I put in the time or not. I've had to unschool myself, and it hasn't been easy.ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14091005005424893470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7821345570811107481.post-36315511531288546002010-02-06T01:57:33.100-08:002010-02-06T01:57:33.100-08:00One of the reasons I've always enjoyed your wr...One of the reasons I've always enjoyed your writings and radio show are BECAUSE you have such a wide range of knowledge.<br /><br />I think this post is great because it reminds us that specializing is where it's really at, yet it allows that certain people are always going to have a wide range of interests, fortunately or unfortunately.<br /><br />When I was in my twenties, I tried to give up all my hobbies and side interests for about 5 years and really live, breath, eat, and sleep just one career with laser focus. I found myself depressed. The outside interest and hobbies (most of which I'm a generalist at) are part of what make life worth living for me. So it's easier said than done.<br /><br />Still, the advice is good to consider what one could become more knowledge/skilled in, rather than always looking for new areas to "dabble". In my case, whenever I get a new interest, I often ask myself if I really have the time to put into it. This avoids me over-committing my time to things I am only mildly interested in, or won't ever achieve enough mastery at to eventually put on a bio or resume.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com